Sometimes, it happens that when you visit an ATM to withdraw cash or make purchases and put hand in pocket to find out the ATM card to make payments, you find it that you don’t have your debit card with you. Such moments are the heart sinking moments. Perhaps you dropped it in the parking lot or someone snagged it from your wallet. Either way, your missing debit card could pose some problems, like fears of misuse of your debit card or posing a hindrance in immediate withdrawl of cash. However, although you are sure to face such problems, but inspite of being panic you need to follow these steps to ensure your finances stay safe.
- Check Account History
Log into your online banking to find out if some unauthorised transaction has taken place from your account.
- Contact Your Bank Branch
If you find any unauthorised transaction having taken from your account, you need to take it up immediately with your bank and ask them to block the card by telling them your account number. If siting at a faraway place, drop a mail to them also from your mail registered with the Bank.
- Contact at Bank’s Helpline/Customer Service Number
If you are not able to contact your Bank branch or do not get any satisfactory solution from them, immediately take up at Bank’s Helpline number and ask them to provide with a suitable solution. Make sure after reading this article that you have saved the Contact number/helpline number of your Bank at a handy place.
- Follow up with Your Bank
To make sure that everything is on the right track, you should continue to make follow up with your bank. You can call again or even personally visit the branch premises to know the status of Blocking of your card.
- May make a Complaint with the Concerned Police Station
You may make a complaint of your lost card with the relevant Police station, if it is lost along with certain other important documents like your Driving licence or some other important Id. Keep the copy of registered complaint in your record for further references.
- Apply for issue of a New Debit Card:
After taking up the precautionary measures you can apply for issue of a new ATM card and mind to keep the same in your inner pocket and make it sure that you have saved the Bank’s helpline number handy, so that incase of need in future you don’t have to scramble.
- How to Handle a Lost Debit Card
Once the complaint has been lodged with the Bank for loss of card and you find out your lost card at a later date, you should destroy the card by cutting it into two pieces.
- Transactions taken place after registration of complaint with the Bank
You must be aware that once the Bank has registered your complaint about loss of card and afterwards any unauthorised transaction takes place in the account, you have every right to claim the said loss from the Bank.
At the end, we just have to say, “the faster you act, the safer you are”.
Helpline/Customer service Numbers of Some Important Banks
Sanjeev Kumar Khanna (Financial Mentor)
